Stainless steel manufacturer boosts production with new laser installation
For the past 15 years, Outokumpa (Helsinki, Finland) has been running three CO2 laser cutting machines to fulfill its cutting needs. Working with laser cutting and metal fabrication equipment supplier MBA Engineering (Wetherby, England), an Outokumpu team identified a requirement to update its metal cutting capabilities' function. After discussing its cutting capacity and turnaround with MBA and following a visit with them to Kimla (Częstochowa, Poland), they realized they could increase production with just the one machine. So, they made the decision to replace two of its three machines with one—a Kimla ProCut 20 60 LF 6 kW 6 × 2 m laser cutter from MBA.
Outokumpu's goals with the new Kimla system include increasing production, reducing running costs, and freeing up valuable floor space. Kimla provided the ideal solution with a fully automated fiber laser cutting machine that optimizes capabilities so they can complete projects more efficiently, from the loading and unloading of stainless steel pallets to the laser cutting itself. Outokumpu was directly involved in the design of the automation system, ensuring it was built to their specifications.
The Kimla ProCut 20 60 LF laser cutting machine is shown.
"MBA Engineering surpassed our expectations with a machine that can cut a part in 10 minutes, having previously taken an hour on our old machines," says Rob Swift, project and technical sales manager at Outokumpu. "In an industry where time is money, it's great to have this kind of technology at the heart of our business and we're very much looking forward to seeing the potential we have unlocked with this investment."
"The feedback we have received from Outokumpu’s operators has been great, with claims the machine cuts 5 mm stainless as quickly as 1 mm on a high power," says Bradley McBain, managing director of MBA Engineering.
Established in 2009, Yorkshire-based MBA Engineering specializes in supplying machinery and consumables for metal fabrication and is the exclusive partner of the Kimla fiber laser systems in the UK.
For more information, please visit outokumpu.com,mba-eng.co.uk, and kimla.pl.